“Always take ground, Always be Where He’s Standing.”
This is the mantra of the Self Defense Company Instructor.
Moving forward…driving forward takes control of TWO of the pillars of self defense – BALANCE and MOMENTUM. Destroy his balance, maintain yours. Stop his momentum, increase yours. This doesn’t matter if you’re in the ring, the street or the battlefield, the force advancing is winning, the one retreating is losing.Â
Let’s not get this confused with a “brief” side step or parry – but if you continue to move backwards and away from the attack – you will lose. Your techniques will lack bodyweight and power generated by pushing off the ground and using your hips. When you’re off balance you can’t hit effectively, or should I say, to your maximum potential.
If you find yourself moving away from the attack — KEEP RUNNING and get out of there!
This is also the key to momentum. Momentum is the FORCE multiplier. The more you can move forward – the faster, the greater your velocity, the”bigger” you become. Force is equal to mass times acceleration. So your weight (mass) increases the faster you move. Smaller people may feel uncomfortable moving forward aggressively into their attacker – but it’s for these reason alone THEY HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE.
Take ground – always be where he is standing – the faster the better.
Train Honestly,
Damian
Absolute truth. This is great info. Continuous forward pressure is a key principle when it comes to combatives. Thanks for sharing this. ?
Is similar to freestyle wrestling, boxing, Jeet Kune Do and fencing forward foot-work. Moving backwards will get you creamed! Either move forward or angle forward or else forget it!
Forward or flanking to their side. But always taking ground and attacking until they are no longer a threat.
Excellent technique will remember this. Similar to wrestling I did. Get your opponent off balance and you come out on top! Thanks!
Not intending any disrespect, but how realistic is this elbow attack if one’s opponent has his arms up and ready to block while launching his attack? Any boxing fan can see that a fist can slip between arms that are up, or hook around them to the opponent’s head, but an elbow?
None taken – I think I cover this… but…
First, why does he have his hands up? If w’re talking about an approach by a good street fighter or a criminal…they’re not going to put their hands up…they’re just GOING TO HIT YOU.
But let’s say the guy puts his hands up…
1. Why would you immediately engage – why don’t you say something like “Hey man, I’m sorry – I don’t want to fight…he drops his guard and then…well, there you go.
2. But now – let’s go with your scenario – it’s a boxer, he’s got his hand up and ready to go and YOU HAVE NO CHOICE but to deal with this guy…
You move in CHIN DOWN and coming in with that first edge of hand where you’re forearm connected with his forearms. You continue to move forward and drive him backward.
Do you think he’s going to be able to set his feet and deliver a powerful punch? NO.
Do you think he’s going to be accurate _ when you’re moving into him and he’s moving back? Not really.
Where do you thing that punch is going to “slip in”, your chin is down, your elbow in in his face….?
Now this is important. If he moves off line and circles YOU MUST CHASE HIM. Don’t STOP.
At the end of the day, sure – he can land a lucky punch – it’s a fight, no guarantees but even in a boxing match, the guy who is getting backed up is LOSING.
The problem is people look at this like sparring – YOU WANT TO RUN THAT SOB OVER. Plain and simple – DO NOT STOP.
This seems to mostly make good sense and matches my experience. My only question is what if the attacker leads, or immediately defends against your counter, attack with his feet? I am thinking of low kicks.
Hey Wendell…RUN HIM OVER and CHASE HIM DOWN.
In order to kick, you need balance. This is why in the street, they’re not usually used beyond opening and finishing scenarios – and this is why the FORWARD DRIVE does the trick.
It increases your momentum and DESTROYS his balance.
An effective low kick can only be delivered if the base leg is balanced, his weight and force are moving forward. When you DRIVE into him, he will be moving BACK and his weight , balance will be moving away from you.
Keep taking ground – be where he is standing AT ALL TIMES.
Make sense?
Wendell. Generally in the streets people tend to head hunt. So the likelihood of the subject leading with a low line kick is quite low. However if you have maintained proper position and recognized pre threat cues and know when to move in, you don’t really need to worry too much about them making the initial strike.
As for countering with a kick, when you attack you are moving aggressively and disrupting their balance. You are nose over toes. They are head over heels. Very difficult for them to counter with anything. Especially a kick.
Hope this helps.
Similar to Dave Pauli’s ISR Matrix. To be effective, this movement needs to be practiced. Well done, thanks.